


Clarent Blood Arthur

by KingofBeasts



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-30
Packaged: 2018-11-14 19:38:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11214888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingofBeasts/pseuds/KingofBeasts
Summary: What happens when Ilyasviel von Einzbern summons a different Berserker for the 5th War? More importantly, what if the one she summoned has an axe to grind against a certain King of Knights?





	1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night or Fate/Zero. Type Moon does. *Bow*

KingofBeasts Productions Present:

Clarent Blood Arthur: A Fate/Stay Night Fanfiction

Two Months before the 5th Grail War.

It was a cold winter's day in the desolate mountains. No, that was putting it mildly; it was the kind of winter that would bring even the toughest man to his knees. The frigid temperatures, the harsh winds, and the constant danger of frostbite while trying to survive a frozen wasteland. There was also the dangerous elements that lurked in every turn; be they ravenous wolves or fierce bears, they would want nothing more than to devour your warm flesh to fill their hungering bellies to survive this cruel wilderness.

This was the kind of day one Ilyasviel Von Einzbern was experiencing.

It was no fault of her own though; For the Einzbern family, this was a rite of passage. After years of losing the Holy Grail Wars (their most recent defeat the most stinging), they would want nothing more than to final earn a victory and reclaim the fabled Third Magic. So saying that everything was at stake would be quite the understatement.

Young Ilya had her own reasons for joining the war, however; Her mother, Irisviel, had been brutally murdered and became the Grail. Kiritsugu, on the other hand, ordered his servant Saber to destroy the Grail, dashing the hopes and dreams of the Einzberns concerning the Grail. Oh, if only it stopped there; the man never returned to the family estate, opting to remain in Japan and adopt a son named Shirou.

It was this knowledge that Ilya had grown a festering hatred deep within. She hated Kiritsugu for leaving her, her mother for dying on her and, most important of all, she hated the boy Shirou for stealing her father away from her. As such, she had one goal in mind:

Kill Emiya Shirou.

She knew that she wasn't going to live long; after the 5th War, she'll only have a year to live at best. Such was the curse of being a homuculus. Still, that meant that all she had to do was win the Grail War. Odds are Kiritsugu taught the boy at least some of the basics of magecraft. The fact that Avalon, the fabled sheath to King Arthur's Excalibur, was missing meant that it was still in Kiritsugu's possession.

After adding all the facts up, Ilya concluded that Shirou would end up summoning a Saber Class Spirit. To be precise, the spirit of Arturia Pendragon, who she saw before the 4th War started.

This leads us back to now, the young, pale-skinned homunculus in a tattered white dress running for her dear life from a pack of wolves with naught but a wooden splinter. Looking back, maybe she should have gone with the stone slab...

"What's this?" Jubstacheit von Einzbern, patriarch of the Einzbern clan, looked shocked, if not disappointed "You do not wish to use the great slab of Heracles?"

"That's right!" Ilya affirmed cheerfully over a cup of tea.

"But why child?" The ancient man wondered "Having Heracles at your side should give you an edge in the coming war! He's perfect for the Berserker class!"

"That's true." Ilya placed finger on her chin and looked up in thought "But I don't wanna just win..."

"Oh?" The patriarch raised his eyebrow "Tell me then, little homunculus, why choose a little splinter of wood over a mighty stone slab?"

"Because, grandpa," Ilya put down her tea and looked at "Old Acht" in the eye, her red orbs narrowing in a determined glare though her childlike voice remained "This 'little splinter of wood' came from the Round Table itself. I just know that the Saber who appeared before will come back. That's why I wanna summon Lancelot; we both want to make Shirou Emiya and his Servant pay for what they've done. I want a Servant who knows my pain, who knows what it feels like to be abandoned."

"Acht" had to admit; he was impressed with his granddaughter's ruthlessness. He also thought of the sweet irony; That once again, A Knight of the Round Table will fell Arturia Pendragon, while Ilya would vanquish Emiya's adopted son, and win the Grail for the Einzbern family.

Things would indeed go full circle.

"Very well." Jubstacheit grinned "If that is what you want, little Ilya. Summon your Servant and kill that Emiya boy, then win the Grail for our clan."

She looked back at him with those burning red eyes while a small yet confident smile formed on her little face. All in all, she was looking forward to the 5th Grail War.

"I will."

The wolves believe that they had trapped a scared, pale-skinned little girl the snow clearing. The snarling beasts circled around their prey, licking their chops in anticipation of an easy meal. Woe, indeed, to this unfortunate young girl who lost herself in the forest only for her to end as their meal.

Little did they know that this was no ordinary girl, and they stumbled into Ilya's summoning circle.

The silver-hair homunculus smirked as she extended her arm, which held her catalyst, while the Summoning Circle began to glow ominously. The ravenous wolves suddenly became wary and for good reason; their prey never glowed like a light bulb. Having gathered enough prana, Ilya began the incantation:

Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg.  
The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulate.  
Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill). Shut (fill).  
Repeat every five times.  
Simply, shatter once filled.

――――I announce.  
Your self is under me, my fate(doom) is in your sword.

Yet, thou serves with thine eyes clouded in chaos.  
Thou, bound in the cage of madness. I am he who command those chains.  
In accordance with the resort of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.  
Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the dead.  
You, seven heavens clad in three words of power, arrive from the ring of deterrence, O keeper of the balance ―――！

A blinding flash engulfed the area, a pale light bathing the already white landscape, the brilliance forcing Ilya to look away.

When the light faded, Ilya looked in disbelief; There stood a warrior clad in red, wearing plate armor compelte with a breastplate, spaulders, gauntlets, and greaves. A helmet was also worn to cover the entire face, thus masking the warrior's identity. While the Servant was short in stature, it still had this imposing aura that made it seem larger than it really was. The Servant Beserker had appeared to fight and defend the Master who summoned it.

Needless to say, Ilya pouted, a little disappointed that she did not summon Lancelot like she intended.

The wolves, on the other hand, did not seem deterred by the presence of the armored Servant. One of them, eager and starving, lunged at the mysterious individual thinking that it'll be easy prey.

It was a huge mistake on the wolf's part, as it was immediately sliced in half by the stranger's intricately decorated silver sword held in the left hand.

The rest of the pack, as if insulted by the prey's insolence to kill one of their own, jumped in eager to sink their fangs into Berserker. However, that proved to be in vain. With each swing of the sword a wolf fell, it's crimson blood staining the white snow that blanketed the wilderness, their yelps echoing through the barren wasteland.

Eventually, the yelping stopped. The entire pack lay there slain, their blood splattered all over the place. Satisfied with the results, the Servant sheathed it's sword and turned to Ilya, gazing at her as if measuring the young girl up. Instinctively, Berserker knelt on on one knee, as if it was a knight before a princess, and inquired:

"I ask of you, little girl; are you my Master?"

At the lounge, Einzbern Manor, a few hours later.

Jubstacheit Von Einzbern was impressed.

The fact that Ilya had managed to summon the Servant Berserker a full two months before the Grail Wars was no small feat. Though she did not get Lancelot like she wanted, but this Servant seemed impressive enough to help the girl survive.

Ilya herself was a bit astonished. She recalled the earlier conversation she had with her Servant while they were back in the wilderness

"You can talk?" The young homunculus looked astonished

"Yes I can, Master." Berserker replied, a little apprehensive of the little girl before her "Is that going to be a problem?"

"N-no! It's just that..." Ilya furrowed her brow in thought "The Mad Enhancement should easily rob you of your sanity..."

"You mean that unexplainable bloodlust I felt earlier?" The Servant inquired in a female voice that was muffled by the helmet "I did seem to rob me of my reason, but it wore off as soon the battle ended. I kind of enjoyed it, though."

Ilya took all this in silently, amazed that her Servant could seemingly control her madness at will. "This will be fun" she thought to herself, a little over her disappointment of not summoning Lancelot.

"So, uhm..." began Ilya nervously "Do you have a wish you want granted by the Grail?"

At that, Berserker grew quiet with her head down. Ilya feared that she might have struck a nerve.

"I-it's okay if you don't want to tell me!" She waved her arms in a panic, not wanting to start off on the wrong foot.

"It's fine." The knight sighed "It is but a simple wish. All I want..." While the helmet hid it well, there was sorrow in her eyes "Is to be he who pulls the sword. To earn my father's acknowledgement."

Ilya's heart stopped upon hearing her Servant's wish. She could not see her eyes, but she knew that the memories of her father caused Berserker pain.

"Just like me..." thought the pale-skinned girl, who immediately thought of her father. To this day, she wondered why he never came back. Did he not love her?

Ilya immediately shook her head to snap out of it. She decided to shift the subject for now, knowing that there will be time to ask later.

"What's with your helmet?" asked the little homunculus, her voice returning to it's jolly tone "It looks funny."

"Oh, you mean this?" Berserker, shaking herself out of her reverie, tapped her horned helm "It's one of my Noble Phantasms, Secret of Pedigree. It hides everything about me from the enemy; my name, my personal skills, and even my other Noble Phantasm."

"You have another one?!" Ilya exclaimed in childlike glee, her crimson eye widening in wonder "Ooh! Ooh! Can I see? Can I see?"

Underneath that helm, Berserker's lips curled up into a smile. She found the joy in Ilyasviel Von Einzbern's eyes to be infectious.

"You'll get your chance, milady." the knight chuckled "We still have to finalize our contract first. What is your name, young Master?"

"Ilyasviel von Einzbern, but you can call me Ilya if you like." The little girl giggled.

"That will do."

She planted her weapon on the ground, then bent on one knee.

"I, Servant Berserker, pledge to serve thee, Lady Ilyasviel von Einzbern, as your loyal Servant from this day forth. Do you accept?"

Ilya smiled genuinely when she saw Berserker do what she did. While she wanted to know the identity of her new Servant, that will have to wait later. Right now, she placed a hand on Berserker, a warm soft touch in contrast to the cold hard steel, and smiled at her warmly.

"I accept. Rise, Servant Berserker." She gently took her hand "Let's go home."

"Yes, Master."

Ilya had just finished explaining the details to "Acht". While he did seem impressed with the Servant's capability, he wanted to know more about this new Berserker.

"So, you tell me that you are one of the Knights of the Round table?" he probed.

"That is correct." Berserker answered, sitting on the couch while tousling Ilya's hair.

"Were you a famous member?"

Berserker paused to consider her words, before saying "More or less."

"I see..." Acht was fairly impressed with the Servant's parameters. For all intents and purposes, she was also eligible for the Saber class. Then again, most of the Knights of the Round were, even Lancelot. The fact that she can turn her Madness Enhancement on and off at will made her all the more enticing.

"My granddaughter mentioned that you bear another Noble Phantasm." continued the ancient Einzbern "Perhaps you would care to demonstrate it?"

"Yes, Berserker!" Ilya squeaked with delight, hugging her Servant "I wanna see that other Noble Phantasm of yours!"

While she wished not to reveal her trump card to the old man, Berserker found it hard to refuse the request of her master. Even without a Command Seal, the red knight felt compelled to obey the little girl's whims.

"Very well." Berserker sighed, standing upright. "We'll need to take this outside. Oh, and one more more thing," She turned to the old man, the helmet hiding a manic, battle hungry grin.

"Give me something to hit."

So, they found themselves outside, by an open field the size of a football field within the mansion grounds. This place was meant to train Ilya and her Servant once the summoning was successful. It was fitting that it would be used right now to test Berserker's capabilities.

To the side stood Ilya, clad in her signature purple winter coat and hat, standing beside her grandfather while watching Berserker face off against three giant golems, each as big as a small house.

"Just say the word, Master." Berserker turned to Ilya, who gave the Servant a nod of approval. She felt the effects of the Madness Enhancement kicking, but found that it was not in a level that takes away her ability to speak nor the ability to use her Noble Phantasm and some of her personal skills. It did take away her ability to think in any line other than "Kill, kill, kill." Not that she minded, though.

As if by instinct, Berserker began to charge prana around her armor, manifesting itself as an eerie red glow. Moments later, she propelled herself with the force of a jet turbine, dashing to her opponents in a speed the human eye can hardly follow.

"Prana Burst?!" thought Jubstacheit while Ilya watched in awe. He had only heard of one Servant who manifested that skill. The fact that a Berserker used the same skill was pretty amazing.

"Go Berserker! You can do it!" cheered Ilya from the sidelines, which seemed to have the same empowering effect on the Servant akin to a Command Spell.

Using Prana Burst, she reinforced her sword and raised it to defend against three very large fists coming at her. To her delight, the prana she used shattered the each if the golem's fists effotlessly, leaving them with one good arm apiece.

The solid constructs continued their assault, swinging wildly and stomping the ground in an attempt to get her while they had the chance. Alas, the Servant was simply beyond their reach; she thrust her sword up at one unfortunate golem, her prana powering her blade so that the leg shattered at impact. As soon as it toppled on it's back, Berserker leaped into the air drove her sword into into it's chest, destroying it's core and giving the Servant one less opponent to deal with.

Her instincts on overdrive, Berserker sensed one golem trying to strike her from behind. Using Prana Burst to give her a boost in speed, she jumped to the before he could land a blow strong enough to shatter the deactivated golem she was standing on. She somersaulted in the air and, after landing behind it, hacked at the construct relentlessly. The sound of metal breaking stone was heard with each slice, taking the giant piece by piece until only it's head remained. Berserker capped it off with one final stomp, shattering the head into tiny little pieces.

She then turned her attention to that one last golem, who lost an arm earlier in the fight. She expected it to charge at her, raise that log of an arm to try and smash her, but it didn't. Instead, it edged away from it's opponent. As if it was cautious.

As if it was afraid.

Berserker sensed it and grinned under her helmet. "Time to finish this." She raised her sword and, soon after that, her helmet vanished into thin air. The face under it was that of a fair maiden; blonde hair, tied in braid and a ponytail, that shimmered in the sun; a complexion as white as snow; cheeks as smooth as silk and eyes as green as emeralds (though they were glowing red as an effect of the Madness Enhancement).

To Acht and Ilya, seeing that face was akin to seeing a ghost. It reminded them both of the Saber Kiritsugu Emiya summoned ten years ago. Yet this one was different somehow, they just couldn't point it out yet.

As Berserker raised her blade, it began to glow with an ominous blood-red light. Whilst this was reminiscent of Arturia's Excalibur, this was different; while the "Sword of Promised Victory" was a holy sword, this sword was something akin to a demonic weapon. Which fit, as Berserker looked like creature straight from Hell as the blood-red mists of prana swirled around her weapon.

"You wanted to see my Noble Phantasm?!" She roared as she raised her sword to strike after gathering the sufficient amount of prana required "Well here it is! CLARENT-"

She saw the golem twitch ever so slightly. In her vision, though, she saw that one person she adored and hated at the same time, the one who defined her existence as a knight and a person.

Arturia Pendragon.

"BLOOD ARTHUR!" She swing down the bloodied blade, the mass of red light released in a destructive wave that spared nothing in it's path. This golem was no exception; it was completely obliterated when the surge of energy crashed it's form, leaving not even a speck of dust to sweep.

With the battle over, the Madness Enhancement subsided and Berserker returned to normal, her thoughts clear and her eyes back to their green color. At that moment, agonizing pain coursed through her petite frame and rooted her where she stood. She did well to hide it, however, in front of the old man.

She then turned to the Einzberns and saw varying reactions; while the old man stood silent in awe, her young Master was simply full of delight.

"That was so cool!" Ilya squealed, her hands making animated gestures while her crimson eyes twinkled like stars "You were like, BAM! Then BOOM! It was so amazing!"

"I'm glad that you enjoyed the show, milady." Berserker bowed, then turned to the old man, who still remained silent and wide-eyed. "What say you, Lord Einzbern?"

"Who are you?" Old Man Acht finally spoke, though he already had his suspicions.

"Please tell us your name, Berserker." Ilya spoke in a soft, innocent tone beside her "I want to know as well."

Berserker paused to consider this for a moment. She really didn't want to at this point, but didn't have the heart to refuse her Master's request. After a deep sigh, she faced them both with confident grin as she declared her true name.

"My name is Mordred, Son of Arturia Pendragon and Morgan Le Fay."

End Chapter 1


	2. Over the Sea

Chapter 2: Over the Sea

3:00 pm, The Airport. Two Days before the Grail War.

"N-Never again..."

Berserker has fought over hundreds of battles, faced foes of incredible power and even stood toe-to-toe against Arturia Pendragon herself. It goes without saying that very few things scare Sir Mordred of the Round Table.

Flying on an airplane happened to be one of those things.

"I'm never riding one of those monstrosities again..." The girl, clad in a white tube top that showed her midriff under a red long-sleeved open leather jacket, denim short shorts of the Daisy Duke variety and black boots (I.e her casual wear in Apocrypha), looked nauseous after she exited the plane, her legs trembling in terror and beads of sweat gushing out of her pores.

"Oh cheer up, Berserker!" Her Master, Ilyasviel von Einzbern, skipped along the runway with her Servant in tow "It's my first time to fly, too. I found it quite fun!"

"Easy for you to say, Master." The blonde tried maintain her composure and decorum as a knight, but found that she was failing at that so miserably. "Men were not meant to soar that high..." Sure, Servants like her materialized with knowledge of the current age, but she didn't have to like flying!

Watching the usually unshakeable Berserker feel so uneasy amused Ilya. It had been a really hard two months since she summoned her; she was given rigorous training in the art of magecraft and fighting in tandem with her Servant. It didn't help that Berserker acted like a drill instructor during those joint sessions. Well, at least she was kinder than her grandfather.

Still, the little ojou had grown quite fond of Berserker. Using the library the Einzbern's had at their manor, she read up on Arthurian Legends, especially the one's regarding Mordred, and didn't find them to her liking. Many of them described her as a traitorous knight who, through the manipulation of her mother Morgan Le Fay, sought to overthrow King Arthur and claim the throne for herself. Even her title, "The Knight of Treachery", implied that she was evil.

"They're wrong!" the little girl thought stubbornly as she remembered all she read "Berserker's not like that! It's true that she's strict and that she's scary when she's fighting, but she's also kind and brave. She's also lonely. All she wanted was her Papa's love...just like me."

"Is something troubling you, milady?" Berserker inquired, seeing her Master's eyes narrowing and cheeks puffing in indignation. She thought that she looked kind of cute, not that she would ever say it out loud lest she earn the girl's wrath.

"It's not fair what they say about you." Ilya grumbled. "They say you're a bad person, but I think you're really cool!"

Mordred couldn't help but chuckle at that. She had grown used to her Master's childish demeanor (despite the fact that she was actually nineteen years old in a pre-teen's body). In fact, it was these quirks that made her grow fond of Ilya.

"You honor me with your words, young Master." Berserker smiled as she ruffled the pale-skinned homunculus' hair. "Indeed, the history books have painted me in a undesirable light, but I am happy to know that you believe in me."

"Of course I do! You're my Servant, after all, and we're going to win the Holy Grail!" Ilya giggled as she held her Servant's hand, which caused Berserker's heart to warm a little.

They walked through the airport terminal to find a peculiar individual waiting for them holding up a cardboard sign that said "Einzbern". He graying black hair that was slicked back; gray eyes , a straight nose and a mustache with a goat beard. His pale skin, though slightly wrinkled, still shone with the glow of a man in his prime. He was thin bordering on wiry and had a lean physique that fit his figure. He wore a black suit with long coat tails over a white long sleeved polo. He also had black slacks and black leather shoes. Lastly he wore white cotton gloves that fit his calloused hands. All in all, he perfectly looked like an old butler.

"Lady Einzbern?" The man inquired in a voice that somehow had a dignified, yet rough edge in it.

"May I know who asks?" Berserker asked, looking at him warily.

"My name is Morimoto," her introduced himself with a stiff bow "And I've been assigned by your grandfather as your butler and humble servant for your stay in Japan."

Ilya gave Berserker a nod, which told the blonde that the guy was safe. "Thank you." The homunculus gave him a curtsey. Likewise, Berserker nodded towards the butler.

"Now," Morimoto motioned them to come with him "If you'll follow me, I shall take you to your car, oujou-sama."

Ilya nodded and let the old butler lead the way, Berserker following closely, stopping to get their luggage before they made their way out of the airport. By the gates stood a sleek black limousine, no doubt reserved for the Einzbern Master and her Servant.

"This way, ojou-sama." Morimoto opened the rear door and motioned for Ilya and Berserker to enter. As soon as they took their respective seats in the spacious limo, the butler entered behind them and closed the door.

"Driver, take us to Einzbern Castle."

With that simple command, the limo left the airport and began it's journey to Einzbern Castle, which is where Ilya and Berserker would reside for the entirety of the 5th War.

Berserker took a glance out the window and gazed at the sights they drove by. She found herself fascinated by the modern age; with towers that dwarfed castles, machines that could move faster than any horse, and weapons that out-ranged any bow are among the wonders Berserker had witnessed in her two months as a Servant so far.

She turned away from the window to face her Master beside her, only to find that the young girl was gawking through the window as well. The blonde smiled at this; after having spent of most of her life in the mansion back at Siberia, Ilya had never seen the outside world. "I guess this is a new experience for both of us." she thought as she smiled fondly at Ilya.

"Excuse me, Master-" Berserker was about to ask, only to get cut off by the girl.

"I thought I already told you to call me 'Ilya'!" she pouted, her cheeks puffing up as a result.

"I am sorry...Ilya." Berserker chuckled, reminded that she should not be so formal around her Master "What is our plan for today?"

"First, we gotta register for the 5th War itself!" The young girl declared cheerfully "Which means as soon as we're done dropping our stuff at the house, we're headed for Kotomine Church!"

9:30 pm, Kotomine Church.

After a short dinner (Where Mordred consumed enough food to feed an army), Ilya asked to be driven to Kotomine Church, an errand taken up by Morimoto personally. So it was at this night that Ilya and Berserker were driven to a simple looking church on a hill where the Supervisor of the Grail War, Kirei Kotomine, resides.

"Call me when you need to be picked up, ojou-sama." The elderly butler said as he dropped the two off by the gates.

"Are you not going to stay?" Ilya asked the butler as she Berserker helped her off the car.

"I have errands I must attend to, I'm afraid. Besides," He looked up to take a good look at the place. For a split second, Berserker could have sworn that he saw a glimmer of hatred and anger in those hawk-like eyes as he looked at the church "I never really liked churches, to be honest."

He gave a stiff bow towards the two before driving back into the mansion.

"I wonder what was that all about?" Ilya asked her Servant, who just shrugged in response.

They walked towards the somber church and opened it's door, the pale moonlight serving as the only source of light that illuminated the rather quiet church.

"Hello?" Ilya called out to the open air. "Is Father Kotomine here?"

Berserker, at the mean time, was tense. She took stock of her surroundings often, as her experience as a Knight of the Round had her deal with sneak attacks every so often. Her body and mind were in a battle-ready state; as such, she was ready to call upon her armor and sword at any given time should a threat to her Master appear.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise." Both of them jumped in shock when they heard the deep baritone belonging to a smirking Father Kirei Kotomine. "It is not everyday that this humble church gets a visit from a member of the Einzbern clan."

"D-don't surprise me like that!" Ilya breathed heavily, recovering from being shocked by the priest. She momentarily composed herself before facing Father Kotomine "I come as a Master and participant in the 5th War of the Holy Grail." As proof, her entire body glowed ominously, revealing the Command Spells that were etched into every corner of her tiny frame.

"Of course you are. You would not be here at this time of night otherwise" Kirei smiled enigmatically at the the pale-skinned homunculus, then to the blonde girl accompanying her "And I suppose she is your Servant?"

"Yup!" Ilya declared confidently as clung to the red-clad blonde's arm. "Berserker and I are going to destroy the competition! You'll see!"

While Berserker appreciated her Master's enthusiasm, she hoped that Ilya didn't honestly think of underestimating the other Servants. After all, each of them were legendary heroes in their own right, accomplishing great feats no mortal man could hope to achieve. The one she sought would be no exception.

"Father." She thought while clenching her fist tightly "Why haven't you appeared yet?"

As for Kotomine, Berserker could not help but feel uneasy around him. He seemed like a normal decent priest, but for some reason, he gave off an aura that caused Mordred to keep on her toes. It did not help when she gazed at those gray eyes only to find them unreadable. Add all that to his unreadable stoic expression that was constantly plastered on his face, the red-clad petite blonde had every right to be wary of Kirei Kotomine, finding herself unable to trust a man she couldn't read.

"Takes one to know one." She thought mirthlessly, having concealed her own identity from the rest of Camelot in the past.

"I admire your confidence, my child." Kotomine turned to smile at Ilya, his dull gray eyes meeting her red ones "But surely, you didn't visit the supervisor of the War just to declare your presence? After all, a Master would only visit this location if they seek sanctuary after losing his or her Servant."

"Fine, I'll get to the point." Ilya huffed, then turned to the priest with a look of determination in her crimson red orbs "Has the Servant Saber been summoned yet?"

Kirei's eyes widened in mild surprise at her inquiry. He then took a glance at Berserker, and noted at how much she resembled a certain King of Knights who had been the Servant of Kiritsugu Emiya, his arch-nemesis. He then looked to Ilya and saw how similar she looked to her mother. It all made sense to him now. He inwardly grinned as he answered her question.

"I'm afraid not, young child." He said to her in his usual cryptic tone. "In fact, it seems that every Servant has been summoned save for Saber. Rest assured child, you will know once the last Servant reveals his or herself." he paused to put a hand on his chin "Though I am intrigued, why did you wish to know?"

"It's none of your concern." Ilya replied curtly.

"Of course, of course." Kirei chuckled "I apologize, Miss Einzbern. I did not mean to pry."

"Oh no, it's fine." Ilya shrugged him off politely "Well, since I got what I needed to know, I should get going."

"Very well." Kotomine nodded as the little girl, followed by her Servant, made their way out of the church doors "I wish you luck in the War, Lady Einzbern."

With a dignified curtsey from Ilya and a stiff bow from Berserker, the pair exited the church through the oaken doors.

Once he was sure they were out of earshot, Kirei smirked and shook his head. "I should have known you were watching, King of Heroes."

In a flash of golden light, a new figure materialized out of nowhere. He had a thin but muscular frame. He was clad in a black jacket he wore over a white long sleeved polo, black form-fitting pants and shoes. His most striking features were his short unkempt golden blond hair and eyes as red as rubies.

"I could not help it, Kirei. The Berserker of this new War interests me." The newcomer said in arrogant, kingly tone.

"It seems she has caught your fancy." The priest chuckled "The resemblance she bears to your beloved King of Knights is uncanny, to say the least."

"Alas, she is but a pale imitation to the woman I desire most." The blonde sighed "While she may be a beauty in her own right, she cannot compare to my dear Saber, who I am sure will appear in this War as well."

"Which makes this all the more interesting." Kirei mused, placing a hand on his chin in thought "I have no doubt in my mind that this Berserker was a Knight of the Round in her lifetime, much like the last one. The fact that she resembles Saber could quite possibly mean that this woman could very well be Mordred."

"You mean this doll was her 'son'?" The blonde questioned, having spent a good amount of his free time researching Arthurian history whenever he had the chance. "The one who slain her at the Battle of Camlann?"

"Yes, Gilgamesh. That very one."

"I see." The King of Heroes' eyes narrowed at the thought "So I suppose she seeks to finish what she started the moment she learns that Saber has been summoned?"

"That is likely, as long as her Master gives her free reign to do what she wants." Kirei said thoughtfully "My guess would be that she would care less about the Grail once she meets her 'father' in battle. Or perhaps she has a wish in the Grail concerning her. Who could really say?"

"Pshh." Gilgamesh scoffed "That imitation will not have that chance, neither with the Grail nor Saber! The moment she seeks to defile my treasures will be the moment she meets her end by my hand!"

"I assure you, you will get your chance, King of Heroes." Kirei reassured his 'friend' "For now, patience. While she may have killed Saber in life, this Berserker fell to her before her own end. You of all people should know that Servant Saber is much stronger than she appears."

Gilgamesh paused to consider it for a moment, then finally snorted. "Fine, I shall stay my hand against this...faker for now." The King of Heroes turned to leave "But remember, Kirei: The moment she scars my beloved Saber is the moment she shall feel the full brunt of my wrath." With that last ominous warning, he vanished in a flash of light just as quickly as he came.

As soon as Gilgamesh had left, Father Kotomine shook his head.

"You really are quite a handful, o King of Heroes. Quite a handful indeed..."

At the same time Father Kotomine and Gilgamesh conversed, Ilya and Berserker had their own discussion while waiting for Morimoto to pick them up.

"I do not trust that man." Berserker stated simply "He seems too shifty for my liking."

"Huh? What do you mean?" inquired her Master, who was by all accounts quite naive at times.

"There's something off about him. I can't explain it, but to put it simply, I'd rather not approach Kirei Kotomine unless I have to."

Ilya nodded as she listened to her Servant. Now that she put it that way, Kirei Kotomine seemed a bit shady for her liking. Still, he was the supervisor of the Grail War, so he was supposed to remain neutral at all times.

"We'll deal with him later if we have to." The young homunculus said to her Servant "We can leave him alone for the mean time, so behave yourself around him, okay?"

While Berserker still had her misgivings, she had no choice but to trust in her Master for now. With that in mind, she nodded in agreement, which seemed to please the young homunculus for the time being.

"Hey, Berserker?" The young Einzbern asked

"Yes, milady?"

"Do you believe we can win the war?" This question caused Mordred to turn to the petite Ilya, who had a subdued look on her face.

"Why are you asking this now, Master?" The Servant asked the girl with a worried expression on her face.

"It's just that..." Ilya paused slightly before continuing "I know I act all confident and so sure of myself, but I'm still scared. We're fighting heroes just as great as you are and the one I want to fight, the one who took my Papa from me, will have the Servant who killed you while you were still alive. So I can't help but feel a little worried."

The usually serious knight's face softened considerably; She realized that she was witnessing her Master's more vulnerable side, the side that was at heart just a little girl scared by all these strange yet amazing events happening around her. A girl who was forced to take a huge burden upon herself by becoming the Master who represents her family in a war which she probably will never return alive from. And for what? Some magic cup that grants the heart's desire?

"It's amazing how much alike my Master and I are." the Servant smiled softly, reminiscing her own experiences with her mother Morgan Le Fay and how she had groomed her to one day take the throne of Camelot from the king.

"Listen to me, Ilya." Berserker said after she had time to collect her thoughts "The two months we've trained together were probably the harshest time you've experienced. It also showed me the kind of person you are; A young girl you may be, but you are much stronger than you believe. You are a proficient magus, and a competent master. So believe me when I say this; for as long as I am your sword, we WILL win this war. I will make sure of it."

"You really mean that?" Ilya asked her Servant, her eyes becoming slightly watery due to the overwhelming emotions that were stirring within her.

"Yes I do, milady." She said with a confident and determined grin while pumping her hand in the air "You'll see. We'll prove to them that we are not to be trifled with!"

"Right!" Ilya sniffed as she wiped the tears away. She was genuinely happy that she got this confident, determined knight as her Servant. "We'll show them! We'll show them all that they shouldn't mess with us!" She declared jovially as she pumped her tiny fist to the air as well while the Servant nodded in agreement.

"For we are unstoppable!" Berserker declared confidently.

"We are unbeatable!" Ilya joined in her cheering, the Servant's excitement proving to be contagious.

It was in such fashion that the two spent the remaining time waiting for their pick-up cheering enthusiastically, raising their voices and declaring to the Heavens that though Fate had dealt these two partners a bad hand, they will overcome whatever comes their way together.

Two nights later...

"Servant Saber has arrived as summoned. I ask of you, are you my Master?"

For the life of him, Shirou Emiya could not believe what he was seeing in front of him. Out of nowhere comes this petite blonde with eyes as green as the grassy fields of Avalon, clad in what looks like a blue and white battle-dress with the chest, forearms and forelegs covered in intricately designed steel armor. With an invisible weapon in hand, she went forth to face a man in a blue skin-tight bodysuit wielding a red lance. All while a brunette clad in a red sweater who kept her long hair in pigtail was rushing to scene alongside a white-haired, olive-skinned man whose red coat fit his muscular frame.

Unbeknownst to all parties involved, a lean old butler by the name of Morimoto was watching the entire scene on a suburban rooftop with a pair of binoculars. Once he was sure of his information, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket to make a call.

"Hello? Berserker-sama?" The old man reported in "Kindly tell ojou-sama that the Servant Saber has finally been summoned."

End Chapter 2


End file.
